Eye of the Storm: Kits of the Storm
by Pipip Cheerio
Summary: A danger will arise in the rain, lightning shall turn, and thunder and wind shall save the forest. A young queen and her four kits come to join ShadowClan after being chased out of RiverClan by the evil Cottonstar.
1. Prolog

_**Kits of the Storm**_

Prolog 

A thin layer of fog surrounded the Moonpool. The new moon made the stars twinkle brightly, especially those of Silverpelt. Bluemoon padded over to where Lilypads was sleeping. She prodded her former apprentice, and she awoke with a start. She stared at the blue-gray figure, her eyes still glazed with sleep.

"Bluemoon? Is it time to go back to camp?" The young she-cat seemed to have forgotten about her mentor's violent death.

"No, dear kit. I am with StarClan now. I have come with a message."

She straightened up immediately. Her tortoiseshell pelt held droplets of dew. "What is it?"

"A prophecy of a new age in ShadowClan, of a change the forest will remember and carry on for generations." Suddenly, a look of remembrance and sad realization crossed Lilypad's face. The late medicine cat took on a voice that wasn't hers, and a glazed look held her face.

"_A danger will arise in the rain, and lightning shall turn. Thunder and wind shall save the forest." _Bluemoon groomed herself briefly, and turned away from Lilypads. "You may wonder what it means, but one day, all will become clear."

As she padded away, Lilypads ran to her side. "Stay with me! Please don't go!"

Bluemoon looked into her eyes. "We must all go, sometime." And with that, she faded into the fog.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Kits of the Storm**_

Chapter One

Rain poured down into the forest. The ShadowClan Patrol was laying down the scent markings by the halfbridge, when a fear-stricken yowl rang through the air. Lynxheart's ears pricked. She turned in time to see a two-leg's monster roll over a queen, narrowly missing her four kits. The kits ran over to her, wide-eyed, mewing pitifully.

Lynxheart turned to face her patrol. "Blackfur, Lionfang, stay here with the kits. And get her out of the rain!" She looked at Wolfblood. "You come back to camp with me. We need to get Lilypads!"

The two cats raced back to camp and Wolfblood fetched the medicine cat. Maplestar approached Lynxheart. "What's going on? You're back from the patrol earlier than expected. Where are the others?" The leader peered behind Lynxheart, to see if the other two cats were coming through the entrance.

"They're back near the halfbridge. A queen was hit by a monster, and Blackfur is watching her kits."

Lilypads and Wolfblood approached, each carrying a small bundle of cobwebs and herbs. The small group ran back to the halfbridge through the pouring rain. Lilypads glanced at the sky worriedly as the rain began to fall harder.

Blackfur glanced at Maplestar, she and Lionfang sheltering the shivering kits from the rain with their bodies. "Take them back to camp," the leader instructed. "Leave them with Berryheart, and then take out another patrol to finish the borders. Lynxheart, go with them." The three cats disappeared into the forest with the kits.

The queen gazed into the brambles, her eyes slightly glazed. The wind howled through the trees, and lightning flashed through the sky, followed by an ominous boom of thunder. The queen shivered. "_Riverclan…" _she whispered.

The medicine cat studied the queen for a moment, and then picked up a wad of cobwebs in her jaw. Pressing it to where her mangled paw was bleeding, she nodded to the herbs. "Wolfblood, chew up the burdock root into a poultice and apply it here. Maplestar, give her the poppy." The young she-cat looked calm, but sounded panicked. "Come on," she cried. "We need to get out of this storm!"

The cats lifted the queen and carried her to camp. They laid her in the medicine cat's den, and left Lilypads to do her work.

When Berryheart awoke the kits had gone. "_They probably just went to see their mother or something…" _She shook some moss out of her fur and stepped into the sun filled clearing, where Oakpaw was drinking from a puddle.

"Have you seen Stormcloud's kits?" The young apprentice licked his lips.

"Yeah, they went to bother Cedartail and Birchpelt. They should still be there." He nudged his own mother lovingly. It had only been days ago, when he and his sister, Featherpaw, had been made ShadowClan apprentices.

"Thanks," said Berryheart, padding over to the elder's den.

"And that's how TigerClan got their stripes." Cedartail yawned, signifying that his story was over. Lightningkit's ears pricked as he heard the queen enter. He spun around, his silver eyes narrowed. His expression lightened when he saw her. "Hi, Berryheart! What's up?"

Berryheart sat down next to Cedartail. "I was thinking that you four would like to go see your mother. Lilypads said she's well enough for visitors." Windkit and Thunderkit jumped up at the mention of the other queen.

"What are we waiting for...Moonhigh? Let's go!" Rainkit squeaked. The kits thundered out of the elder's den, and into the medicine cat's area. "Mama!" Rainkit hurtled herself into Stormcloud's fur. "I missed you, Mama!" She groomed the queen's ear lovingly.

"How's your leg?" Lightningkit asked, casting an awkward glance at the cobweb laden paw. "It looks kind of gross." He made a face that sent the other three into a fit of giggles.

"When are we going back home, Mama?" Thunderkit mewed. "I miss Applekit!" Stormcloud shifted uneasily, meeting Berryheart's gaze.

"Uh... Kits, why dont you go see if Cedartail and Birchpelt have another story for you...Maybe about Tigerstar?" Windkit and Rainkit exchanged a glance. The two padded away, followed heasitantly by Lightningkit and Thunderkit.

Stormcloud sighed as she watched her kits leave. "They have no clue... We're not going back. We can't!" She mewed in despair.

"Why not?" Berryheart asked. She knew that she shouldn't pry into these things, but she yearned to know what was troubling the young she-cat.

Stormcloud sighed and began to tell her tale:  
"I guess it began back when I was a kit. My father was a rouge, and my mother was, at the time, RiverClan deputy. My mother was killed in a battle with WindClan, leaving me alone, an outcast apprentice. My mentor, Cottonpelt, was very cruel. She mocked me for my weakness, and took my mother's place. She and her followers killed Brakenstar, and chased out all other half-clans, including my kits and I. My mate, Tigerstripe, crossed and joined them against us. He was almost forced to kill Lightningkit, but he let us get away.  
"We roamed around the territory for days hiding in abandoned burrows and badger sets. Those were the worst days. Whenever a patrol would come, we would hide deep down in our hiding place, hoping the scent of the other animal would mask our own. We got along fairly well, until a few days ago. The kits and I were settled in the back of the set, when a black face appeared at the entrance.  
"It was Tigerstripe," She said shakily. "I wasn't sure whether he was with us or against us. It was such a relief when he said he would help us. He led us to the halfbridge and instructed the kits to stay underneath it. Then, we both scented the patrol coming. Cottonstar jumped at me, while Brownspots lunged at the kits. But Tigerstripe was ready. He fought against the old warrior to the death, and ended up killing Brownspots.  
"Cottonstar ran off when the twolegs came. I cant remember anything else other than waking up here yesterday." She gazed at the ground, lost in thought.

Berryheart shifted uncomfortably. She glanced over to the Nursery, where the kits were wrestling, and over to where Bramblepelt, her own mate, was sharing tongues with Featherpaw. She couldn't imagine how Stormcloud must have felt. She looked back to the young shecat.

_"Tigerstripe..." _Stormcloud murmured. _"My poor Tigerstripe..." _


	3. Chapter 2

_**Kits**__**of**__**the**__**Storm**_

Chapter Two

Lightningkit prowled through the undergrowth, hot on the trail of a shrew. "It's cool," he thought, "That I got out of camp without anyone seeing." He pounced on the shrew, but it scrabbled away. "Now if only I could catch something. Boy, would that impress Mama!"

He caught the scent of fish on the breeze, and figured he was relatively close to the lakeshore. His ears pricked as a twig snapped behind him. He saw a figure mulling about in the underbrush. A squirrel popped out of a nearby bush, and tensed as it saw Lightningkit. However, it let down its guard. It was, after all, just a kit.

Lightningkit jumped on the squirrel, pinning it down with a paw. The squirrel squeaked as its air supply was cut off. Lightningkit released it when he heard a purr from above.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't the small Lightningkit, who left my clan less than a moon ago." A big white she-cat dropped down from the trees. "What are you doing out of camp…Alone?" She stepped out of the shadows, and into the sun-dappled clearing. The way the light fell on her gray-flecked fur made her look eerily pretty.

'_Cottonstar!' _thought the kit. "What are you doing in ShadowClan territory?" He retorted.

The RiverClan leader purred in amusement. "Honey, you crossed the border not to long ago." An evil look crossed her face. "You're in _my _territory now." She padded closer to the kit. "You're pretty bold to sneak out of camp. Don't you know the dangers?" Cottonstar's eyes gleamed. "Foxes? Badgers?" Her claws shot out, into the damp soil. "Me?" She lunged at him, only to be pinned to the ground by a large black tom.

The tom held her to the ground with a white forepaw. "Don't touch my kit," he hissed. Cottonstar grinned with malice, and battered his underbelly with her strong hind paws. The pair wrestled on the ground, but the tom broke free.

He slashed Cottonstar across the muzzle as he flew by, only to have her leap onto his back. He kicked out hard with his back legs, knocking the breath out of the RiverClan leader.

The tom loomed over Cottonstar, who was sprawled on the ground. She grinned weakly. "Go ahead, Tigerstripe. Kill me." She managed to sit upright, looking at him with an evil look. "But you won't. Will you? Because I'll get you first!" She lunged at his throat, but he was faster. He sank his teeth into flesh, and Cottonstar convulsed as a reflex. She gasped and staggered back, blood staining her white coat. "You… you did it. I can't… believe… brother…" She fell to the ground.

Lightningkit stared from Tigerstripe, to Cottonstar, and back again. "You did, didn't you? I-is she dead?" The kit's eyes were wide with shock.

Tigerstripe's eyes fell on Cottonstar, who had gone limp. "Not dead," he said after a moment. "Just losing a life." He padded up to Lightningkit and picked him up by the scruff. He headed towards a nearby oak, and began climbing, despite the kits protest. He set him down on a sturdy branch.

"Who are you anyway?" Lightningkit squeaked. "And why are we in a tree?"

"I am your father, Tigerstripe." He said matter-of-factly. "We are in a tree, because when Cottonstar wakes up again, it will be safer up here than down there." He looked at his kit, who looked at his own paws. "Now it's my turn for questions. Why are you away from your mother? And-" Lightningkit looked up. "Where is she?"


	4. Chapter 3

_**Kits**__**of**__**the**__**Storm**_

Chapter Three

Tigerstripe pushed into ShadowClan camp behind Lightningkit. Lynxheart stared at the RiverClan warrior, pelt bristling slightly. Lightningkit bounded over to the nursery, where Stormcloud was sitting with the other three kits. Tigerstripe saw him mew something, and the small family padded into the den. Lynxheart stepped in front of Tigerstripe, blocking him from following.

"What are you doing here, RiverClan?" She hissed loathingly.

Tigerstripe sat and wrapped his tail around his paws. "Lightningkit wandered into our territory, so I brought him back," the tom replied coolly. "I thought the ShadowClan deputy would be able to keep track of the kits in her clan, but I guess not."

Lynxheart's eyes flashed. She dug her claws into the dirt, swelling with rage. "Do not," she growled, "Tell me what to do in my position!" She tensed to pounce on him, but Maplestar pinned her down.

"Lynxheart," The leader warned. "Don't act like a kit, just because he beat you in the newleaf competitions. That was many moons ago. Let it go." She lectured her best friend. Lynxheart wiggled loose of Maplestar's hold, shot Tigerstripe a look, and stalked over to the fresh-kill pile.

"I'm sorry about Lynxheart," Maplestar meowed. "She never learned to let go of a grudge. Anyway, thank you for bringing Lightningkit home. Shouldn't you be heading back to your territory though?"

"About that…" Tigerstripe looked down at his paws. "I…I was wondering if I could see Stormcloud." He cast a glance at the entrance of the nursery, where the queen was watching the four kits. After Maplestar granted permission, he padded up to his mate.

"Tigerstripe!" She purred, pressing her muzzle into his black and ginger pelt. "Lightningkit told us what happened. Thank you so much for bringing him back. He is so mischievous. But what about…" She looked at him, eyes clouded with worry.

"About what?" He pressed.

"Cottonstar!" Stormcloud mewed. "The whole of RiverClan. You took one of her lives, Tigerstripe! Do you know what this could mean? If you go back," She shuddered. "They might kill _you_!" She glanced towards the apprentices den, where the tom kits had gone to bother Oakpaw. She sighed. "When we were forced out of the clan, I lost you once." She gazed into his green eyes. "I won't lose you again! Stay here, with us, in ShadowClan. Maplestar will understand. Just—whatever you do—don't go back to RiverClan!"

A few days later, Tigerstripe was sharing tongues with Stormcloud by the nursery. He had heeded his mate's warning, and stayed in an abandoned badger set, instead of returning to RiverClan. He visited ShadowClan every day, and brought fish as a gift to the clan he wished to join.

Maplestar jumped onto the low hanging branch above her den, and sat regally, about to make an announcement. "Would all cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather under Lowbranch for a clan meeting?" She watched as cats filtered out of their dens, and into the small clearing below. "Cats of ShadowClan," she began. "Many of you have been worrying about the RiverClan warrior that has been in our midst. Some of you shorn him," her eyes fell on Lynxheart, "while others of you seem to be getting on fine.

"From what Lightningkit has told me, Tigerstripe saved this tom-kit from an attack by Cottonstar. Tigerstripe, step forward." The black warrior stepped forward, hesitantly. "Your family came to ShadowClan after an incident with RiverClan. Stormcloud claims that you were there. Explain what happened."

Tigerstripe cleared his throat. "When I found Stormcloud in an abandoned foxhole, I knew I had to help her. We brought the kits to the Halfbridge, when I sensed someone following us. It was Cottonstar and Brownspots. Stormcloud and I fought them, and Cottonstar ran off when the Twolegs came. I chased after her, but when I returned to Halfbridge, I couldn't find Stormcloud and the kits anywhere. I couldn't track her by scent because the rain had washed it away."

"So how did you come across Lightningkit?" Maplestar mused.

"I was on patrol with Cottonstar, Waterclaw and Adderfang." The tom mewed. "Cottonstar suggested that we split up to hunt, but I knew she was up to something. When the other two weren't looking, I followed her scent trail, and saw her pounce on Lightningkit. I followed my first instinct: Protect Kin. I…" His strong voice faltered. "I took one of my sister's lives to protect my kit…" He looked at his paws before continuing. "Lightningkit told me that they had come here after the accident, so this is where I brought him. I'm sure that the whole of RiverClan knows I did it. I don't want to abandon my family again, even if it means I have to live in a badger set."

Maplestar gazed at the tom. "You won't have to, if I have a say in it." She looked over her clan. "Does anyone have an objection to having Tigerstripe join ShadowClan?" There was silence for a moment. Maplestar opened her mouth to continue, but was cut off by Lionfang.

"I do. This is RiverClan's problem. This whole mess wouldn't have happened if we hadn't helped Stormcloud." The golden-brown tom cast a glare in the queen's direction. "It doesn't have anything to do with us!"

"It has everything to do with us. Doesn't what happened to Brackenstar worry any of you? It was only two moons ago that he was killed. And no cat knows why it happened."

"So the deputy revolted and took over the clan. Lynxheart could be planning the same thing!"

The clan turned to face Lynxheart, who bristled. "Why would I be planning that? I wouldn't overthrow Maplestar. And you should all know that by now!"

The group was hushed at this. Birchpelt shifted uncomfortably. "Brackenstar had kittypet blood." She pointed out. "If that's what Cottonstar is driving out, there could be a whole other Brokentail to deal with.

"Lionfang scoffed. "Brokentail is an elder's tale, made to scare the kits. You don't believe that mouse-dung, do you?"

"It's not an elder's tail." Cedarpelt hissed. "My mother, Rowanclaw, lived it. The way she described it was horrible. She also told us about Tigerstar, who tortured and killed half-bloods after merging Shadow and River to form TigerClan. It was a sad time in our clan's history. And I don't want anything like that to happen again, even if I can't prevent it myself."

"Does that satisfy your objection, Lionfang? The stronger our clan is, the easier it will be to stop Cottonstar from destroying peace in the forest. Tigerstripe, come up here." The tom stepped forward. "Is it your wish to serve ShadowClan, even at the cost of your life?"

"It is." Tigerstripe murmured.

"Then, by the power of StarClan, I confirm your warrior name, Tigerstripe. Welcome to ShadowClan."


End file.
